Ficus: planting and care at home, reproduction and problems when growing a flower
Ficus is one of the most popular indoor plants, which belongs to the Mulberry family and is distinguished by a variety of species. Under natural conditions, it grows in the form of trees, vines, shrubs. They are characterized by a high degree of endurance and feel good in different conditions. At the same time, many are interested in planting and caring for ficus at home, reproduction and growing problems.
Description of the plant
Ficuses are a group of crops from the Mulberry family. They can grow as vines, trees or shrubs.Many species have aerial roots called epiphytes. Roots that descend to the ground form additional trunks. Representatives of this group of plants are called banyans. If aerial roots grow into the bark of another tree, the ficus is called a "strangler" . In natural nature, the culture grows up to 30 meters. At home, its height does not exceed 3-4 meters.
The leaves of the plant can be serrated or lobed. They differ in opposite or alternate arrangement. The flowers of the plant may have a different shape. The fruits are presented in the form of nuts. They are surrounded by juicy false fruit. When the root system is damaged, white milky juice is released. In many varieties, it is quite poisonous.
Home Rules
Culture grows quickly and retains its decorative effect, if it is provided with the right conditions. In this case, it is worth focusing on the following parameters:
- Temperature - in summer it should be + 25-30 degrees. In winter, it is worth maintaining the parameters + 16-20 degrees. The minimum figures for ficuses with variegated foliage are +15 degrees. Most plants with plain leaves can grow at a temperature of +10 degrees. The culture does not withstand subcooling of the soil. Therefore, the pot should not be left in a cool place - for example, on the floor or on the windowsill.
- Lighting - should be quite bright, but at the same time diffused. Culture loves a lot of light, but does not withstand exposure to direct sunlight. Some species with monochromatic dark leaves develop normally in light partial shade. With a lack of lighting, the ficus loses color and sheds foliage.
- Humidity - 70% is considered the optimal parameter. However, it is acceptable to maintain indicators at the level of 50%. In summer, the culture prefers high humidity. If the room is warm and dry in winter, the flower should be regularly sprayed and bathed in the shower.
- Soil moisture - the plant needs abundant and systematic watering. At the same time, it hardly withstands stagnant moisture. After each watering, the soil should dry out by 2-3 centimeters. For ficuses that reach the size of a tree, these parameters need to be increased to 6-7 centimeters. After each watering, the water must be drained. Otherwise, the soil will be waterlogged, which will lead to root rot.
It is important to consider that the higher the indoor temperature in winter, the more the ficus needs light and spraying, as its growth processes continue. For this, it is worth providing additional lighting.
Care instructions
For a ficus to develop normally, it needs to provide full and high-quality care.
Soil selection
Ficus needs light and loose soil that contains a lot of nitrogen.At the same time, the plant does not tolerate dense, oily and heavy soil. A suitable substrate contains leafy soil, peat and coarse river sand. You can make it yourself by mixing all the components in equal parts. As a result, it will be possible to obtain a light and airy soil. As the ficus develops, you need to add 1 more piece of turf to it.
When pouring the substrate into a pot, it must be placed so that there is drainage at the bottom. In this case, the main part should include soil, and clean sand should be placed on top. This will provide additional permeability. If it is not possible to make the substrate yourself, you should buy a ready-made mixture called "Palm" or "Ficus" .
Some producers offer a substrate that does not contain humus. It is also called landless. Plants can be transported in such soil. It is also suitable for cultivation. The only disadvantage of such a substrate is the minimum nutrient content. When using such soil, it must be fed with special preparations for ficuses.
Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionAny soil can contain parasites. In order not to infect the plant, the soil must be disinfected. To do this, it needs to be steamed. It should be borne in mind that soil disinfection leads to the destruction of the beneficial flora that plants need. To restore it, it is required to add biological products to the composition - in particular, Trichodermin.Temperature and lighting
The plant lives in the tropics, so it needs warmth. In summer, the culture requires a temperature of + 25-30 degrees, in winter - + 16-20. At lower settings, the leaves fall off, and the bush may die. In the summer, the plant is not recommended to be taken outside so that it does not freeze. Varieties with green leaves withstand the cold better than variegated ones. Deciduous varieties of culture perfectly adapt to the cold. At the same time, evergreen varieties are considered more thermophilic.
Since the ficus is a tropical flower, it is considered quite light-loving. At the same time, variegated varieties normally withstand even direct sunlight. The tree can be placed on a southeast or southwest window sill that is well lit.
In winter, ficus should provide additional lighting. Moreover, its duration should be 12 hours. On the window, the bush should be rotated periodically so that it is equally lush on each side. With a lack of light, a home plant can drop foliage.
Humidity
Ficuses are grown in conditions of high humidity. The same atmosphere should be maintained at home. The plant should be sprayed with water using a spray bottle. A growing flower should carry out 2-3 procedures per week. A ficus shower should be arranged once a month. It is not necessary to carry out such a procedure more often.Varieties with large foliage are recommended to be wiped with a cloth.
How often to water
For irrigation, use settled water at room temperature. Ficus is able to withstand short-term drying of the soil. In the summer, watering should be increased, but it is important to remember the sense of proportion. When caring for indoor plants in cold weather, the conditions of detention should be regulated. In winter, ficus should be watered rarely. This is done once a week.
Ficus normally perceives spraying. This is especially true for small-leaved varieties, such as Kinki, Safari, Kerli. Large-leaved varieties are best wiped with a napkin. This applies to varieties such as Belize, Robusta, Melanie. All types of ficuses need a warm shower. This procedure is carried out once a month. In this case, it is first necessary to cover the surface of the soil.
Fertilizer and top dressing
It is impossible to grow decorative ficus without top dressing.Fertilizer should be applied 1 time in 2 weeks. At the same time, the bush must first be watered. It is best to use preparations that contain a lot of nitrogen. It is recommended to feed the culture from March to October - during the active growing season.
If a tree is illuminated in winter, it also needs to be fed. However, this is done no more than once a month. For fertilizing ficus, you can use products such as Palma, Ideal, Agricola. The dosage should be found in the instructions.
How to propagate a flower
The plant can be propagated in many ways. Most often this is done by cuttings or layering. The seed method is not recommended. Even if the homemade ficus bears fruit, the seeds will not ripen.
Most often, ficus is propagated by cuttings. This procedure can be carried out during pruning. It is also permissible to take a small branch 4-5 centimeters in size with a leaf.Shoots need to be cut at an angle, stepping back 1 centimeter. For propagation of ficuses, leaf cuttings are often used. In this case, you need to take a short shoot no larger than 1 centimeter in size.
To grow a ficus from a small cutting, it must be lowered into the stimulator. For this purpose, it is permissible to use "Epin" or "Kornevin" . After that, the stalk must be placed in water or in a bowl with a substrate. Rooting the plant is required in a warm place with good lighting. The culture takes root quickly. This process takes about 2 weeks. After the appearance of the first roots, the branch can be kept in water for another week. After 7-10 days, it can be planted in a pot.
It is best to propagate ampelous species. When breeding rubber ficus, the cutting must be taken from the middle or upper part of the culture. At the same time, at least one node must be present on it. It is important to consider that direct sunlight negatively affects a young and recently transplanted plant. Therefore, it must be shaded.
To propagate ficus using layering, it is recommended to do the following:
- remove leaves from the strongest shoot;
- make a circular incision on the bark;
- put moss on the cut and tie it with cling film;
- after 2 weeks, wait for the roots to appear - at this stage, the layers can be cut off and planted in the substrate.
You can also use another method. To do this, you need to make an incision, fix the branch on the surface of the soil and sprinkle with earth. When the graft is rooted, it must be cut off and transplanted into a flower pot. Such a process will give roots after 10-14 days. Before planting, it can be shortened. To do this, the top is cut in a straight line.
Ficuses are fast growing and need to be repotted every year. It is best to do this in early spring. In this case, do not use too large a pot. This flower develops well in a limited space.Large tree-like specimens should not be transplanted into a new container. It is enough for them to replace the top layer of the substrate.
Ficus is a fairly common indoor culture that can decorate any room. To grow a flower successfully, it needs to be provided with quality care.
